Dispelling the Myths

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Warning – Views expressed are personal and may not reflect popular opinion or even contemporary views. Read at your own risk. This article is mainly here due to the historic function of this site as a therianthropy resource.

10 Therian & Were Myths Debunked

A lot of myths surround Therians, some are totaly untrue while others hold half truths and misconceptions. Many of the myths exist from the early days of therianthropy and the close association with ‘werewolves’ and the like. A lot of this is fueled by hollywood hype, romantic fantasy, and a general longing by the ‘new generation’ to be able to be more than what they are. While therianthropy and ‘werebeasts’ have a lot in common, there is a serious line in the sand where the fantastic ends and reality begins. Unfortunately not everyone can see where that line is. These are some common myths and how they stack up against the truth.

Myth #1: Werebeasts are humans that can turn into full animals or half animal crosses.

Truth: Most people who are or consider themselves therians do not shape shift in the physical world, infact most consider the ‘P-shift’ as it is known to be complete fantasy. Therians, if they experience ‘shapeshifting in any form, it is generally spiritual or mental shifting, which is much like an altered state of conciousness where they are more able to be recieptive to their animal self. This gives them more insight into their animal nature, and alow their animal self to guide them. This sort of dances more closely to Shamanism in many cases, where the animal appears as an external animal, some people going so far as to name their animal ‘guide’. True therianthropy generally do not seperate themselves from their animal. But the therian community at large generally disbelieves the ‘waking up convered in blood, running around under the fullmoon as a beast’ theory as even being in the realm of possible. People who claim to be such are usually ridiculed. The concept of physical shifting has never been totally squashed, however, and careful, intelligent discussion can be had from time to time. Although even amongst those who believe its possible, generally the energy and endurance it would take to do something like that is considered impossible for a human being to achieve.

Myth #2: Werebeasts powers and changes are governed by the moon.

Truth: This particular myth tends to vary from therian to therian. It tends that wolf types are far more susceptible to lunar influence than any other bond type. Many therians tell of lunar influence, however equally as many deny an effects. This leads to a possible conclusion that perhaps many of the effects are purely psychological. Many people who are not therians report sleep disruptions and increased erratic behavior based on lunar cycle, so its really hard to say.

Myth#3: If you are bitten by a were/therian you will turn into one.

Truth: This particular myth (in relation to werewolves anyway) is speculated to have been formed during the werewolf trials in france due to the outbreak of rabies, which is well known to be transmitted by bite. However, this is pure myth. Therians are born the way they are, they are not made or turned in anyway. If one was not born a Therian, I do not know of anyway to become one. Many people have tried to ‘convince’ themselves they are, or pretend that they are, but this typically does more harm than good. Eventually the individual realizes that they are not therians, suffer a somewhat traumatic identity crisis, and then leave the therian community to find their true selves.

Myth#4: werewolves are the only REAL weres/therians.

Truth: This is simply untrue. The spiritual bond of a therian can be any animal. From a hawk, to a bear, to a cat, to a deer. The wolf is often the most popular and the first thing a lot of people latch onto, but very often, after the proper ‘discovery period’ for figuring out one’s spiritual animal bond, it is discovered that the wolf was not the right answer. Some communities sometimes claim that wolves are the only ‘true’ therian type, but this is simply untrue and a very closeminded view of therianthropy as a whole.

Myth #5: Weres/Therians are hard to kill.

Truth: Therians are human beings. Like any other, they are vulnerable to disease, injury, and time. Many therians suffer from disorders ranging from dyslexia to degenerative and fatal conditions. Therianthropy is a spirituality followed by human beings, and it is important to remember this. In the ‘shifted’ or altered state of the therian, the body can seem to do some very amazing things, but it is not much different from the sorts of things that firewalkers, or other peoples that practice altered mental states can do.

Myth #6: Weres/Therians eat human flesh and blood.

Truth:Therians are still human beings and as such to the majority the concept of eating another human is pretty disgusting. Therians are not cannibals, nor are they the horrific monsters of legend. We’ll leave that to Hannibal Lector and be done with it, thanks.

Myth #7: Wolf’s Bane and garlic harm therians.

Truth: The reason this myth was brought about is the property of garlic to purify the blood and wolf’s bane has been regarded as having magical properties against supernatural evil. However, because therians are just people and are not ‘supernaturally evil and impure’ the garlic is really a not a threat. In fact, its actually good for the immune system, unless you happen to have some kind of condition against garlic. Wolf’s Bane(aka: aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard’s bane, women’s bane, Devil’s helmet or blue rocket) is a poisonous plant that will harm anyone. The roots contain sufficient poison to kill and have been used as arrow poisons in various parts of the world. In extremely small doses it can be medicinal, although it is not generally used today as there are much safer alternatives. The actual relationship with ‘werewolves’ comes from using the flowers, not the root, as a test. If the flowers cast a yellow shadow on the suspected werewolf’s chin it was considered positive proof that the person was a shapeshifter. Obviously this is a pretty stupid test.

Myth#8: Therian/weres are inherantly evil.

Truth: Therians are people. Like people they can be good or they can be bad. But there is nothing inherantly evil about them. As a group therians are generally exteremely accepting, although they might be curious, or poke a bit at a newcomer to ensure that their own safety isn’t being compromised, but they are not ‘supernaturally evil’ or posessed by demons or anything equally as silly.

Myth#9: To be a therian, one must physically shapeshift.

Truth: While some therian groups have taken this line, its a highly elitist and usually leading to some kind of fraud if one actually buys into the idea of physical shapeshifting. Therianthropy is a spiritual practice, to better understand the self and world around, not become a magical supernatrual beasty, which is pretty much a pile of dung if there has ever been one. Infact, only some therians even experience shifting in any form, but the ones that don’t ‘shift’ are not any less therian than those that do. They simply experience it in a different way.

Myth#10: I like animals! I’m obsessed with X animal! I must be a therian!

Truth: Just because you like, love or are obsessed with animals, doesn’t nessiarily mean that you are a therian. Its very important to realize that even if you are a therian, the animal you are obsessed with may not even be your bond. It takes a lot of research, time, and soulsearching to discover if you are or not. You will save yourself a lot of grief if you come with an open mind and don’t be in a hurry to make up your mind. All the answers come with time and introspection. Give yourself the time and gain the knowledge to make an informed decision.